Band for dental and other uses



ch24, 1936. LEBOW BAND FOR DENTAL AND OTHER USES Filed Oct. 11, 1935 INVENTOR. :zis .Jao v fiwwwm A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a band. for dental and other uses; and. has for one of its objects the provision of a band which is complete within itself and need have no separate attachment for holding it in position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a band which will be small and compact when in position so as to afford the least discomfort to the person upon which the same is used.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a band which may be quickly and simply formed for fitting a tooth.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a band which may better fit a tooth than matrices that are now in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a matrix which may be left in place without discomfort to the user for several days, while the filling in of a tooth is hardening in place.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a band which may serve for use in preventing movement of teeth toward each other due to extraction of an intervening tooth.

Another object of the invention is the use of the band for holding the jawbone in desired position by means of the teeth should the jawbone become broken.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

hi the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing several teeth in a fragmental portion of the mouth and with my matrix about one tooth;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing one of the steps in the positioning of the band about the tooth;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing another step in looking the band in position;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the material as cut from sheet stock;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the band alone with one portion inserted into interlocking relation with the locking head or buckle end of the band;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the use of the invention in connection with the spacing of teeth when an intervening tooth has been extracted;

Fig. '7 is a perspective View of the band with the strap end folded into channel shape;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Figure 7 showing the shape of this channel;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a wire which may be inserted into the channel;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view with the'wire inserted in the channel;

Fig. 11 is a section on line Ill| of Figure 10; 5

Fig. 12 is a fragmental view showing the band as in position about a tooth with intervening cement between the band of the tooth to seal the same and prevent decay.

In the filling of teeth where a cavity exists at the very edge of the tooth, some sort of a wall member must be provided in order to shape the filling, and it is usual to insert some sort of a flexible strip about this cavity at the edge of the tooth to form a temporary wall for the filling and. to then bind this strip in position by a clamp engagingthe outer surface of the strip. and pressing it firmly against the tooth. This clamp is of such dimension as to be of discomfort in the mouth and. the clamp'must stay in place'for a sufiicient length of time for the filling which is placed in the cavity to harden thus requiring about twenty minutes to a half hour. Meanwhile the cheek of the person having the clamp positioned is distended and considerable discomfort is provided; and in order to eliminate this discomfort to a material extent I have provided a strip which will completely encircle the tooth and form a band which may be drawn tight about the tooth and shaped to conform to the tooth with no need for a separate clamp. Thus a wall is provided which may be held in place for several days so that the patient after the filling has been put in place may leave the dentists ofiice and the dentist may proceed with work on another patient while the filling in the first patients mouth is hardening, the first patient returning at the end of a day or two for removal of the band and shaping and polishing of the filling after it has hardened; and I also find that this band adapts itself conveniently to the additional use of providing a definite spacing brace between teeth when an intervening tooth has been extracted by simply stiffening the end portion of the strip by using a wire core and then angularly shaping this wire to form a brace against a tooth on the other side of the space formed by the extracted tooth; and I may also provide two bands about different teeth and look their end portions together in some convenient manner for holding a broken jaw into desired position while the same knits together; and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention,

illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished.

With reference to the drawing, Figure 4 illustrates in plan view the metal strip consisting of an encircling strap portion l5 of substantially uniform width, while at the holding end of this strip there is an enlargement l6 forming a head or buckle which is provided with longitudinally spaced slots l1 and I8 forming a bar [9 between them and locking ears 20 and 2| at either side laterally of the general extent of the material and extending at right angles thereto such as shown particularly in Figure 7. In use, the strap end portion 22 of the strip is passed through the slots l1 and Id of the buckle and beneath the bar I9 and over the end bar 23. This band is then positioned over the tooth 24 and by suitable instruments drawn tight about the tooth and then the ears 20 and 2| are folded tightly down against the strap l9 so as to prevent any movement of the band toward enlargement of its encircling size, and if desired, the end portion 22 may be out off forming a shorter end portion 25 as shown in Figure 1 which may be doubled back upon itself if desired for additionally holding the band in place. The band is then usually shaped to conform to the somewhat irregular surface of the tooth with the assistance of shaping pliers. The band thus formed is then positioned on the tooth and the cavity 26 is filled with a suitable filling. Some shaping of the filling while the same is plastic is had and then the patient is permitted to leave the dentists oflice while the same hardens to return again the following day for removal of the band and completion of the shaping and polishing of the filling, it being unnecessary for the patient to remain in the dentists ofiice with the usual clamp in the mouth for. the extended twenty minutes to a. half hour of discomfort.

Another use of this device is in orthodontia or when a tooth is removedsuch as from the space 21 shown in Figure 6. It is known that when one tooth is removed there is a tendency for teeth at either side of the space left to move into the space with the effect that the teeth moveout of alignment, and yet it is desirable that the gums become permanently shaped before a false tooth is positioned in this space; and in order to retain the permanent teeth in their desired position when a tooth is removed from the space 21, I position a band 28 about a tooth 29 in the same manner as above set forth and utilize the extending strap end 30 of the strip by forming it into a generally U-shape to be as shown at 3'! in Figure 8 and position a wire 32 of sufilcient stiffness in this U-shaped strap and roll the edges 34 about the wire 32 as shown at 35 in Figure 11 so as to firmly embrace the wire and hold it in clamped position. This closed portion 36 is then bent into the suitable form shown at 31 in Figure 6 with an arm portion 38 to engage the tooth 39 so as to form a brace to hold the teeth spaced during such length of time as the gum is required to set.

In the case of a broken jaw, teeth at each side of the break will be engaged by bands such as 28 and the strap portions 30 will be suitably 1 locked together so as to hold the jaws firmly in position so that the point of breakage will remain permanent and a healing together of the jaw at the break will be had.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 6 and where used for the breaking jaw the band is nicely fitted to the tooth and a cement as 40 will be inserted between the band and the tooth so as to firmly seal the band about the tooth against circulation of air therethrough and to prevent decay of the tooth while the band remains in position. For fillings a band of German silver made of highly ductile and bendable material may be used. Where the band must stay in the mouth for any considerable length of time or for such length of time that corrosion may occur of 'metals, a gold alloy band will be used to prevent such actions of the acids of the mouth.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A band for a tooth comprising a strip of bendable material with a buckle portion at one end providing lateral extensions and with a pair of spaced slots toreceive the opposite end of the strip inwardly through one slot and outwardly through another slot and beneath the bar between the slots, said lateral extensions being folded at an angle to the strip and adapted to be forced against the edges of the strip to clamp the edges and lock the strip in band form.

2. A band for a tooth comprising a strip of bendable material with an enlarged portion providing foldable ears at one end and provided with a pair of spaced slots to receive the opposite end of the strip inwardly through one slot and outwardly through another slot, said ears being foldable laterally inwardly and adapted to be forced against the lateral edges of the strip to clamp the edges and thereby lock the strip in position in the slots.

3. A band for a tooth comprising a strip of bendable material, integral means on said strip of the same material as the strip for locking the strip in a position encircling a tooth, and an integral portion extending from said band without sharp bend to engage another tooth for maintaining said teeth in spaced relation. 4. A band fora tooth comprising a strip of bendable material, integral means on said strip for locking the same in a position encircling a tooth, an integral portion extending from said band to engage another tooth, and a member embraced by said portion to stiffen the same.

5. A band for a tooth comprising a strip of bendable material, integral means on said strip for locking the same in a position encircling a tooth, an integral portion extending from said band to engage another tooth and a wire member embraced by said portion to stiffen the same.

6. A band for a tooth comprising a strip of bendable material, integral means on said strip for locking the same in a position encircling a tooth, and a strap portion extending from said band and a stiffening wire embraced by said strap portion and angularly bent to serve as a brace against another tooth.

MORRIS LEBOW. 

